Rock The Trend

Watch this face: Katryn Kruger

Laila Lu — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:23:29 +0000

Debut as Givenchy Exclusive, check. Prada campaign by Meisel, check. Opening a couture show, check. Say hello to Katryn Kruger, the latest export from South Africa (same country as Behati Prinsloo and Candice Swanepoel!). Katryn opened the Valentino couture show yesterday and that was a perfect wrap up to an impressive couture week debut for the newbie. With her huge eyes, strong brows, bronze skin and sharp cheekbones, Katryn has the ideal supermodel package and face of a classic beauty like a certain Daria Werbowy, enough to catch the attention of casting directors and influential fashion figures like Steven Meisel – she is featured prominently in the latest Prada campaign. Watch out for Katryn in the upcoming show season!

Prada Spring/Summer 2012 campaign shot by Steven Meisel, with Ymre Stiekema

[images: stylebistro, style.com]

The New Mix – Want to see Karl Lagerfeld DJ?

Laila Lu — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:27:46 +0000

As you might have known, Karl by Karl Lagerfeld has just arrived at Net-A-Porter.com (by now at least 20% of the items are already sold out). The collection is relatively much more wearable and easier to purchase than his collaboration with Macy’s last year. The video for the collection – “The New Mix” – was unveiled yesterday and Karl played DJ to the models Anja Rubik, Saskia, Abbey Lee, Arizona Muse and Sui He. The video is created in collaboration with Barnaby Roper, a contributor at Show Studio.

It’s especially nice to see Sui He in the video. She looks fresh, possesses a certain killer, cool vibe with her strong stare and razor-sharp cheekbones that not all Chinese models have at the moment (have you seen her spread in Vogue Nippon by Terry Richardson?). Sui He is no doubt my current favorite model of the moment, hope to see her walking more shows during the Fall/Winter 12/13 show season!

Chanel Couture Spring/Summer 2012

Laila Lu — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:19:54 +0000

I just got off a flight from Hong Kong and it was a super funny feeling seeing Karl’s setting for Chanel Couture Spring/Summer 2012 – on a faux air plane. Can you imagine being one of the audiences (or passenger) in the show? The coolest part is the setting came complete with a drinks cart, fake clouds that floated past the windows, blue carpeting patterned with Chanel’s iconic double-C logo and a cockpit door from which Karl Lagerfeld emerged at the end of the 61-look show for his bow. (Watch the full show here). The clothes are far from the typical air stewardess uniform, Karl apparently used a hundred and fifty shades of blue in this collection and that must be yet another highlight in this show.

[images: style.com]

Tisci Thinks… “When in doubt, wear red.”

Laila Lu — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:00:36 +0000

It’s not the first time a designer sent a model in one color head to toe down the runway. Riccardo Tisci might just be catching on with the Chinese New Year fever by showing ALL red looks in his latest menswear collection for Givenchy during Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 12/13 for mens. Question is – would you wear that?

In the mean time, I would like to wish all of Rock The Trend’s readers a Happy Chinese New Year! Yes, all the best for the Year of the Dragon!

[images: style.com]

CELINE Spring 2012 bags & totes

Laila Lu — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:05:46 +0000

Another season, another range of to-die-for bags & totes from CELINE. For Spring 2012, the classics – luggage tote and the box bag – are getting a brand new coat of colors and there is also a new set of envelope clutch bags named “Diamond”.

You might have seen them on the runways but you will get to see them in real life when they arrive in stores in February and March… which is very soon! See more pictures of the bags here.

Singapore editors/Street-style heroes

Laila Lu — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:12:58 +0000

Isn’t true that it’s becoming a habit for many people (including me!) to automatically stalk all the street-style blogs once fashion week starts? And for some reason, there is this sense of excitement whenever a local editor is spotted in a well-known street-style site.

We are only in the middle of menswear season and so far, Tommy Ton (Jak & Jil) has already shot two fashion editors from Singapore for Style.com, and one of them also appeared at The Sartorialist! The two local street-style heroes who caught the eyes of Tommy are none other than Esther Quek from The Rake and Janie Cai from AUGUST Man.

Great to see Singapore being represented in the fashion week street-style circuit!

[images: style.com, the sartorialist]

Advanced Style – the lives of stylish old New Yorkers

Laila Lu — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:39:11 +0000

Can’t believe that I have only recently discovered Advanced Style – an upcoming documentary on stylish old ladies living in New York by Ari Seth Cohen to be released in April. While you can’t compare this to The September Issue or any designer documentary, as it’s not exactly super fashion-related, it is very heartwarming to see how these old ladies live their life to the fullest and enjoy simple things like dressing up as if they themselves are a fashion show. This really proves that being bold and stylish doesn’t come with age, it’s all about having fun.

CNY shopping: Ong Shunmugan

Laila Lu — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:50:35 +0000

Ask me what is my perfect ideal dressing option for Chinese New Year and it will be Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2008, the strong shoulders, bold floral prints and the volume at the hips are to die for. Qi Pao aka cheongsam is such a classic and traditional item it might be every teenage girl or young woman’s nightmare, but give it a modern spin and viola! It can become something different.

Getting my hands on a piece of Balenciaga S/S 08 isn’t really an option, good news is that local label Ong Shunmugan‘s modern cheongsams are equally desirable. Maybe it’s the geek in me, but I will totally wear one of Shunmugan’s pieces, tie a high bun, wear a pair of glasses and my beloved converse and go from house to house for the occasion.

Have a look at Ong Shunmugan’s collection at 16 Raffles Quay, B1-36 Hong Leong Building or call 6223 4804

Tilda Swinton at The Golden Globe Awards

Laila Lu — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:26:29 +0000

Tilda Swinton in Haider Ackermann is the closest thing you can get to serious high fashion at a Hollywood red carpet event filled with fake tans (wow it’s only January) and boob-spilling skin tight gowns. To be honest, I still can’t get over how perfect is the whole look, from the hair to the minimal makeup to the pale baby blue color. Having met Tilda in real life last September in New York, she always has this “god-like” image in my head and yes she can do no wrong, not even when everyone succumb to Zac Posen or Marchesa. You probably don’t need another blog gushing about Tilda at The Globes but her hair itself deserve a post by itself!

Adrien Brody at Prada

Laila Lu — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:16:43 +0000

The PRADA Menswear Fall/Winter 12/13 show was simply EPIC. Really, no other words besides EPIC can describe the casting, the general atmosphere and the grandeur of a Soviet Union & 1800s inspired collection.

Jamie Bell, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Garrett Hedlund, Emile Hersch, Gary Oldman & Tim Roth all participated in the show. But the one look that really stood out for me was Adrien, he was completely in character and it just seemed like he had stepped out of a period film. He in the Yoko Ono glasses, red coat and sleek back hair… that was an unforgettable moment, definitely not something that you will see in every fashion show. Gary Oldman and Willem Defoe looked fierce too, super regal in their suits.

Watch the show here:

[image: nowfashion.com]